The House of God in Us

The temple of God had been partially rebuilt, but construction was stalled. The walls of Jerusalem were still in ruins. There was confusion about whether or not the returning remnant had the authority for their building project, and their efforts were thwarted at every turn.

Things were not good for the motley crew in Jerusalem, and they were a discouraged bunch.

Into that sad setting, God sent a vision to Zechariah to encourage the people. 

Zechariah saw a man with a measuring line in his hand."What are you doing?" Zechariah asked him.

"Measuring the city." 

Another angel in the vision told Zechariah the most surprising news. (Leanna paraphrase) "One day, Jerusalem won't need walls for protection because God Himself will be a wall of fire around her."

As if the promise of the protection of the ring of fire was not enough, the promise of presence was given to Zechariah.

"Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," declares the Lord." Zechariah 2:10 nasb

The people were defeated by edicts that stopped their obedience in rebuilding, but God was saying, "Fear not. I will do that which you cannot do, and do it in a better way than you could ever do. Then, I will do something even better. I'll come and dwell with you again." 

The word translated as "dwell" indicates that God will not be merely passing through, but He will be establishing a residence. He will stay and live among them on a permanent basis. 

And He did. 

The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, but God didn't stop there. When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to do more than dwell in our midst. He dwells inside us. We have access to our Triune God every minute of every day. 

He abides in us.

How amazing is that?

We no longer need to build with brick and stone in an effort to "house" God. For those of us who are believers, He has moved into our hearts and lives. 

We are the house of God. 

It's more than I can comprehend, but, today, let's take heart that God has not left us alone to do the hard work of life. He is not remote or unapproachable. He's as near as our breath. He is with us, and we serve a God to loves us enough to stay with us until the day He calls us home.
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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: Becoming a Person of High Esteem
Here's the link to the prayer guide: The Prayer List


Here's the link to my Global Outreach page (where you can support this ministry as God leads): Leanna Hollis MD
#Christian

The Service Engine Soon Light

Friday is my day to open and close the park in our little town. This past Friday evening, I jumped in my car and drove to the park. When I started the ignition, there were no warning lights on. I drove to the park, stopped, and got out to lock the gate. When I started the ignition again, a warning light flicked on. "Service engine soon," it said.

It was the Christmas weekend, so there was no way to "service engine soon." I parked the car and drove my old farm truck instead. Today, my mechanic will check the computer to see what kind of service my engine needs.

The red light suggests trouble is brewing in my engine, but catastrophe can be avoided. If I'm willing to heed the warning.

Therein lies the problem, doesn't it? It's easy to ignore a warning light for a few days that turn into a few weeks and finally results in a major motor problem. I firmly believe in that possibility, so I have warning lights checked.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had the same kind of warning lights for our soul? Imagine a flashing light that says, "Trouble ahead. Better rethink this decision." 

We don't, of course, have a flashing light, but, as disciples of Christ, we do have a warning system. It's called the Holy Spirit, and one of His jobs is to "convict the world concerning sin". (John 16:8)

During the last few hours with His disciples, Jesus comforted them with the promise that they would not be left alone. He would send a Helper to convict them, remind them of His words, and guide them into the Truth. We have that same Helper to convict, remind, and guide.

His warnings, spoken with a Still, Small Voice are a little like the warning light in my car. 

His whispers are a quiet direction to take note, reassess, make a course correction before we go too far. If we are willing to be still, listen, and heed his warning.

It's being still to listen that trips us up, isn't it? 

The words of a song from my childhood come to mind. "Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus. Speak that my soul may hear. Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus. Calm every doubt and fear." (B.B. McKinney)

If we will be still enough to listen, He will speak where we can hear. 

When He does, He will do more than calm our doubts and fears, He will convict us, guide us into truth, and help us make the right decisions. Every time. 

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Need a quick holiday read? Humor mixed with faith? 

Consider my e-book. The Clay Papers (lessons in being moldable in God's hands, based on a series of pottery lessons) is now available as a 99 cent ebook on Amazon. Click the link to see more. (There's a link to give it as a gift as well.)

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links:  Finding Christmas: The Divine Paradox, and Finding Christmas: The Storm Shelter, Finding Christmas: Overcoming,  Finding Christmas: Giving Ourselves,  The Belated Christmas Letter, Living Lean, and The Sleep Goal.

The most read post of the last week: Finding Christmas: The Storm Shelter.
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#serviceenginesoonlight #StillSmallVoice #HolySpirit #disciple #Christian

Finding Christmas: The Rear Guard

Someone I didn't know well attended a meeting at my house recently and made the most surprising comment. "It's a shame you being alone in a big house like this."

Alone? Me? I laughed. 

I may be the only human living in my house, but I am not alone. The dogs are certainly good company, but there's a steady stream of fellow humans in and out of my house. More important, though, is the "real" company that provides constant companionship. 

King David knew the truth of divine companionship and wrote about it in Psalm 23.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..." Psalm 23:6

Isaiah also wrote about our ever-present God.

"For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." 

                                                                                                                         Isaiah 52:12

Before and behind. Surrounded by the presence of God Himself. I have never been alone, and I'm not alone now. 

The Christ who came as a baby, rose as a victorious conqueror, and returned to Heaven did not leave us as orphans. 

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me... He will guide you into all the truth... whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come..."

                                                                                                                         John 15:26, 16:13 nasb

Christ has risen. The Spirit has come. This holiday season, be comforted in the fact that we have not been overlooked. Before us and behind us, we are never alone. 

He is here. Alleluia.
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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Finding Christmas: Separating Truth and Fiction, Finding Christmas: Ongoing Surrender, Finding Christmas: Hidden Paths, and Finding Christmas: Not Forgotten, Finding Christmas: Sustenance for the Weary, Finding Christmas: Remembering the Stripes, and Finding Christmas: Look to the Rock.

The most read post of the last week: Finding Christmas: Separating Truth and Fiction.

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 #Neveralone #everpresentGod #Advent #keepChristinChristmas #MerryChristmas #JesusChrist #disciple 

Knowing The Goal and Moving Toward It

A writer friend of mine shared a new writing technique she'd learn to help her press toward her goal of more words. Basically this technique, described by Henry McLaughlin, involved one-hour "Writing Blasts". You set a timer, sit down at your computer, and start writing as fast as you can for one hour. Get up and walk around for ten or fifteen minutes, then blast away again. The idea is to get three blasts done in the morning. 

McLaughlin has a second goal, of 500 words per scene, with an alert set to chime when he reaches that goal. In essence, he has two goals that run simultaneously. He is constantly pressing toward the goal. 

I'm currently doing a rewrite of my entire first manuscript. That sounds worse than it is, of course. I'm tightening the writing and changing some scenes in order to tell them from a different character's point of view. It's made my story much better and I'm thrilled by the improvement, but it's hard work.

The total words in my original manuscript:92,612

Total words in my rewrite (so far): 26,808

Yes. I have a long way to go. I've completed most of the "worst" part, but there are some sections that still need to be rewritten. This is hard, but it's worth it. I'm keeping my goal in sight, which is to be finished before Thanksgiving. I have 28 days to make it happen. (I don't usually write on Sundays.) With 65,804 words left to rewrite, I need to fly through 2,350 words a day. Some days, I'll likely do more. Some days, I'll likely do less. 

One critical step is required to reach the end. Keep the goal in sight. 

That's what Jesus did. Some Pharisees came up to Jesus and said, "You need to get out of here, because Herod wants to kill you." Jesus said, "Go tell that fox I'll be healing people and casting out demons for two more days and, on the third day, I'll reach my goal." (Leanna Paraphrase)

Jesus wasn't worried about Herod's plans because He had the end in sight. He was steadily moving toward it. In three days, Herod's plans and Jesus' plans would line up and God's ultimate goal of redemption would be achieved.

"The third day I reach My goal." (Luke 13:32 nasb)

Healing the sick wasn't Jesus' goal. Casting out demons wasn't Jesus' goal. His goal was the Cross, and He never stopped moving toward it until that fateful day when the goal was fulfilled. Redemption was complete.

The Apostle Paul wrote of the only goal in his life. "One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14 nasb)

We, too, have goals in life, some probably more admirable than others. If we are to please God, however, we need a goal that mirrors that of Christ. Our citizenship is in heaven and we must strive to be more like the One who purchased that eternal citizenship. This lofty goal will only be met by transformation of our hearts and our lives by the Power of the Holy Spirit in us. 

It seems unusual to have a goal that we, ourselves, cannot accomplish. We can only allow the accomplishing. To achieve our goal, then, we must humble ourselves and allow God to change us as He desires. 

We aren't who we should be. We don't love as we should, or work as we should, or give as we should, but we can be more. We can love more, work more, give more. We can be more like Christ, if we will allow it. So let's allow it. Let's invite God's Spirit to do more in us than we can imagine, to transform us so that all who see us will know that they have glimpsed the Christ in us because of the work He's done.

Come, Holy Spirit, and do your work in us. Change us, transform us. Make us more like Christ. More giving. More loving. More humble. More grace. More like You.

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In case you missed any of the past week's posts, here are the links: Refillable Nespresso capsules,  The New Normal, The Blessing Disguised as Coincidence, The Blessing of Protection, Becoming a Writer: Cover Reveal, and I Shook His Hand Once.

The most read post of the past week: The New Normal.

Here's the link to The Clay Papers, available as an e-book for personal use or to send as a gift for only 99 cents. 

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photo courtesy of freeimages.com

#disciple #JesusChrist #followHim #goals #transformed

The Difference Between the Crowd and the Disciples

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."”       Luke 13:1-5 NASB

I intended to move to the next bit of Scripture today, but the difference between the disciples and the crowd has concerned me lately, so we're tapping this passage one more time.

The word "disciple" comes from a root word meaning "to take". The disciple, then, is one who takes the doctrines and teachings of another and makes them their own. Scripture describes multiple "disciples". First,there were the 12 called disciples (eventually known as Apostles). Jesus also sent 70 followers (or disciples) to teach His gospel. Anyone who followed Jesus during His lifetime was a disciple, and any person who follows Jesus today is also a disciple. That's a lot of disciples, isn't it?

There is, however, a marked difference between a disciple and a member of the crowd. A "crowd" is simply a large number of persons gathered closely together. 

Being a member of the crowd means I am in attendance. It does not mean that I am a disciple.

Please don't misunderstand what I'm about to say, because I know many disciples at my church, and I'm sure you know disciples at your church. With that said, it's important to understand that our churches are filled with "the crowd", people who have gathered together. It is not likely a crowd of disciples, because we should have seekers who have come to learn more about the Christ we have demonstrated to them, people who aren't disciples yet. That's a very good thing.

The problem comes when the crowd looks just like the disciples and the disciples act just like the crowd. 

Why is that a problem? If the supposed disciples act exactly like the crowd acts, maybe the supposed disciples are actually just part of the crowd. Does that make sense to you?

Being a disciple of Jesus, by definition, means that I am a pupil, taking the teachings of Jesus and incorporating them into my life. Incorporating His way should make me different, not leave me the same.

I'm a disciple, and often a poor one. I'm very familiar with the apostle Paul's difficulty, for it is my own. Perhaps you've experienced this, too. 

“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”

Romans 7:21-23 NASB

The war against sin in our lives is very real, and often a minute-by-minute battle. My sin may not be as obvious as it once was, but it is still as deadly. 

A judgmental, critical spirit may hide behind a big smile and polite words, but it is still sin.

What, then, can we do? How can a disciple be different from the crowd?

“If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.”  Romans 8:10 NASB

If we allow it, the Spirit of God will work in us to convict us of sin and draw us toward righteousness. 

We can be better than we are, if we are willing to change. 

I read those words and know they are true. Equally true is that I can be better than I am, but not if I choose to stay the same. Therein is the problem, isn't it? I like "same". I like my comfortable life, my way of spending, my way of doing. Change means my comfort, spending, doing must be different. 

I resist the change. We all do.

Am I willing to give all, as Jesus did, to save the perishing? Apparently not, because I haven't given all. Thanks be to God, the life of a disciple is one of lifelong learning, lifelong striving, lifelong becoming. 

Although I am not what I want to be as a disciple, I rejoice that I am no longer what I used to be as part of the crowd. I'm farther along the path toward Christlikeness than I once was. 

The first step in being a disciple is recognizing we are one of the crowd. If we find ourselves in the crowd, let's take a step forward. Move out of the crowd and into the life of a disciple. Become what God intended us to be. Allow the Holy Spirit to change us, mold us into the image of our Lord Jesus. 

If we are a disciple, let's take a step closer to Christ and become more like Him. Let's be the people He meant us to be.

Change is rarely comfortable and often difficult. Change that makes us more like Christ, however, is always worth it.

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Our Father, forgive us for our stubborn refusal to be all You called us to be. Convict us of our sin and help us to become the disciples You intended us to be.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

#disciple #JesusChrist #theBible #change #idontwanttochange #oneofthecrowd #Holy Spirit

Teach us to pray, part 58: The Holy Spirit as companion and teacher

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. 2 Cor. 13:14 NASB

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (John 14:16-17, 26 NASB)

Jesus described the Holy Spirit as a helper who is with us forever. He is the Spirit of Truth and not only teaches us what we need to know but helps us to remember the words of Christ. It is our job to commit those words of Christ to memory, but the Spirit is the One who brings them to our mind at just the right time. 

When we are in a frightening situation and suddenly remember the verse we learned as children, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee," (Psalm 56:3) it is the Spirit of God that has brought that truth to mind. When we remember words of Christ, it is the Spirit of God that brings them to mind. When that Still, Small Voice speaks in our heart, it is the Holy Spirit speaking in us.

If love is the characteristic that marks God the Father, and grace abounds in Jesus Christ, then fellowship, companionship is the prime characteristic of the Spirit. Jesus promised that He would not leave us alone, would not forsake us, and He did not. His Spirit remains as our constant companion and, because of that, we are never alone. 

In our heartbreak, our struggles, our trials, our loneliness, His Spirit is with us and, if we allow, will give comfort, as well as strength to persevere and overcome whatever we face. We can have that Still, Small Voice as our constant companion, and we, too, can say, "My best friend is Jesus."

God's gift of the Holy Spirit is available to us in as much measure as we need or want. Imagine that. All we have to do is ask. As we pray, then, let us ask that God's Spirit would not just work in our lives but fill us with the sweet aroma of Christ, that we might infuse our world with Him. Lord, give us the Spirit as You will, and as much of Him as we are willing to receive.

Provision of the Holy Spirit: Every word you need

And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:10-12 NASB)

These are tough words, but filled with hope and assurance. The word translated as "when" is hotan and is used to indicate something that will definitely happen but at an uncertain time/date. We might read it as "when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, and it is going to happen..." Jesus' use of hotan was a way of telling His disciples that these difficulties were not possibilities. They would definitely happen.

"Synagogues and the rulers and the authorities" is a reference to both the Jewish religious leaders and the governmental authorities. Every level of authority over them would demand an answer for their faith.

It's hard to understand the impact these words must have had on the disciples. They were, for the most part, unlearned, blue collar workers, not men from the upper echelon of society. 

Peter carried a sword. He was apparently accustomed to defending himself by brute force, not the power of words. To be brought before religious and governmental authorities meant risking everything, for the two bodies had incredible control over their lives. These were not men who were accustomed to defending themselves with words. They weren't eloquent public speakers. 

Let's put ourselves in these men's place for a moment. Jesus told them, "You're going to be dragged into court for following me, and you'll have to speak up to defend yourselves. You won't have a lawyer to help. You're on your own." That's a chilling thought, isn't it? 

Here's the good news. No man would help them BUT the Holy Spirit would "in that very hour" (just in the nick of time) tell them exactly what they needed to say. Instead of another man, Jesus was sending His own emissary, the Holy Spirit, to help them. 

Suddenly, the situation must have sounded much better. Even though the Holy Spirit had not yet filled them, the idea must have been a relief. They were not alone.

It's one of the things I love the most about Jesus. I am not alone. No matter what I face. No matter how difficult the situation. No matter to whom I have to answer. I do not answer alone. I do not cope with my circumstances alone. The Triune God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, is with me, helping, providing, enabling me to do what must be done, to say what must be said. 

"Do not worry," Jesus told them. He knew our propensity to worry and aimed to head it off. There is no need to be afraid, to agonize over what is to come. The one who forgives our past and directs our present is in control of our future, as well. 

Will hard times come to us? Yes. We may not experience the kind of persecution the disciples faced (although I think we will), but we will encounter difficulties. The wonderful news is that our Lord has the future firmly in hand. He has a provision for every need we have. There's no need to fear.

Take heart, He has overcome the world and He holds you in His loving hands.

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Our Father, who holds the past, present, and the future, give me faith to trust you in the hard times, to honor you with my words and to stand firm for Jesus, no matter what comes my way. Free me from my fear and help me cling to You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Filled with Light

 

photos courtesy of National Eye Institute

"No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays." (Luke 11:33-36 NASB)

We've taken a little detour through the world of eye disease to help us understand the importance of having "clear eyes". Most of the photos used to illustrate the different types of vision loss were variations on the photo above, all from the National Eye Institute. Shocking difference, isn't it? In the normal vision photograph above, the faces are clear and the colors are bright. In the diseased vision photograph, the faces are partially obscured, and the colors are dull and muddy. There's a big difference, isn't there?

Jesus said that, when our "eye is bad" our body is filled with darkness. It's hard to understand until we compare the photo illustrating normal vision (clear vision) with the photo illustrating "dark" vision (or diseased vision) Take a moment to look at the photos and compare them to the light (or darkness) present in your own life.

If we are to be lamps on a lampstand, the light within us is kindled by the Holy Spirit. When the eye of our heart is "clear" (or not diseased) we are able to receive light and see all around us clearly. When the eye of our heart is "dark" (or diseased), the reception of light is decreased and our vision is drastically altered. 

Jesus cautioned his disciples to "watch out that the light in you is not darkness." That phrase seemed odd to me, but I've learned something from our study of eye disease. Most of the eye diseases are asymptomatic (have no symptoms) until the late stages. The only way to "watch out that the light in you is not darkness" is with a regular "eye" exam. Trained professionals can examine our eyes to determine whether or not they are normal, diagnose disease at an early stage, and institute treatment to prevent worsening of the disease.

Wouldn't it be nice if we had an "eye of the soul doctor" who could diagnosis the first seeds of sin before they get roots and grow in our lives? We do! One of the Holy Spirit's jobs is the convict and correct us. Our job is to listen and follow His leading. There are times when He has quite a job with me, but my desire is to listen closely and change quickly. I've received more than enough sin-induced discipline in my life; I don't want any more. 

There are two main ways I've found to keep my vision clear. (Not that I'm perfect at all.) 
1. Allowing an accountability partner to speak truth with love. My friend, Shelia, and I have been praying together once a week for years. We've studied together, discussed the interpretation of Scripture together, and prayed together. Over time, we've held each other accountable in more ways than I can tell. It is not uncommon for Shelia to say, "That sounds like fear (or whatever sin I'm about to head into) to me" or "I'm not sure about that" when I'm heading in the wrong direction. She's honest with me and holds me to a higher standard, and I do the same for her. If you don't have someone in your life who will help you stay accountable, ask God to give you someone. I'm a much more faithful follower of Christ because of my friend. 

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17 NASB

2. Studying Scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict and correct through it. When I read Scripture, I ask God to speak to me through it. He never fails to give me a fresh insight, but sometimes I have to wait longer than other times for it. If I am faithful to persist in study, He is faithful to teach me. Holy Spirit will reveal any areas of darkness in me. It's up to me to allow change.

Having a friend to help is a priceless treasure, but no one takes the place of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. He is the spiritual equivalent of a "trained professional" for the eyes of our heart. When I ask, "Show me my heart the way You see it," He does. Although I don't always like what He shows me, I can't change what I don't know about. 

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth...

John 16:13 NASB

Today, let's take a few moments for an "eye exam", and ask the Holy Spirit to examine the eyes of our heart, show us areas of darkness, and help us to make any corrections that need to be changed. When our eye is clear, our whole body will be full of light. What a wonderful goal!

Open the eyes of our heart Lord, we want to see You...

Dealing with Unclean Spirits, part 1

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons." (Luke 11:14-15 NASB)

This section is, in a way, still a part of Jesus' teaching on prayer. Certainly no demon can be cast out unless we pray to God for it to be accomplished. 

In this passage, Luke gives an account of a man who had a demon of muteness. It caused him to be unable to speak but, when Jesus cast the demon out, the man who had been mute was able to speak. There were at least two kinds of responses in the crowd that day. Some of the people watched the miracle and marveled at the power of Jesus. They saw the man who had been set free from the bondage of evil and rejoiced at what God's Son had done.

Some of the people, however, saw the man who had been set free from the bondage of evil. They recognized the presence of the evil spirit, recognized the man's bondage, and recognized that Jesus had set Him free. Seeing all that, they missed the truth of the situation. They looked at the facts, assimilated them, and came up with the wrong interpretation. "He casts out demons by the devil instead of by God." It's a little like taking 2+2 and calling it 5. 

We will look tomorrow at Jesus' response to the naysayers. For today, let's consider the two responses to Christ. Some of the people saw His work of power and knew it was from God. They immediately believed what they saw and heard. Others saw the same work of power and immediately rejected what they saw and heard. What is unexpected about those who rejected the truth is that some of those rejecters were "church people", just like me. 

Jesus had taught about prayer, then invited His disciples to ask for the Holy Spirit. He gave a demonstration of what He had taught by performing a miracle. The "church people" (Pharisees, Levites, etc) were not accustomed to such demonstrations of power. The "church people" of Jesus' day were accustomed to their ritual and routine, just as we have become to our hour-long service before lunch on Sunday. It happens every week exactly like the week before. We don't have surprises. Nothing unusual or unexpected happens. 

When the unexpected occurred, the "church people" rejected it at once. "This is not how we do it. This can't be God. It must be wrong." The problem with their response was that it was God. It was right. It was how our Lord intended it to be done, and the way they had been "doing church" was not what God had intended. 

That's the problem with some of our service routines, as well. The "plan" is for the Holy Spirit to be present whenever two or more believers are together. The "plan" is for the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself when He is present. We've just spent quite a few days looking at the manifestations of the Holy Spirit (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues).  If we expect the Spirit to be present in our services, we should also expect to see some of those manifestations in our services. (At the very least we should have a word of wisdom or knowledge from our minister that is clearly Holy Spirit breathed.) Do we? If not why not?

For today, let's spend some time considering our expectations of Christ and of the manifestation of the Spirit in our worship services. Have we become content with the routine of ritual or do we expect the Spirit to move according to Scripture? If not, why not? The most important expectation we should have is the same one Jesus has for us, so let's be sure that we allow the Spirit to move in whatever way He desires. When the Spirit is unbound instead of unplugged, He will draw believers and unbelievers alike to Himself. 

Teach us to pray, part 66: Speaking in Tongues

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  1 Corinthians 12:7- 10 NASB 

We are nearing the end of the manifestations of the Spirit. Today, we come to the manifestation described as "various kind of tongues". As we have discussed previously, there is one school of thought that says we are living in an age of "completed Scripture", by which they mean that all the miracles and manifestations have been done, including speaking in tongues. From my own experience, I know that is not true. Enough said. 

Jesus was the first one to mention speaking in tongues, just before He ascended back into Heaven. Mark 16:17 says "And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

 The first manifestation of speaking in tongues was described in Acts on the day of Pentecost. At that time, a mighty rushing wind blew through the house in Jerusalem where the disciples were meeting for prayer, tongues of fire rested over their heads, and they began to speak in languages they did not know.  Jerusalem was filled with people from abroad and they understood the words that were spoken in their own languages. The manifestation that was so surprising served to deliver the gospel in such a way that everyone present could hear it in their own language.

Scripture relates numerous stories of new believers speaking in tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit, and there are some faith traditions/denominations that expect all new believers to speak in tongues. This is, in some ways, a dramatic manifestation of the Spirit, and may have been used at times as a tangible demonstration of the Spirit in the life of a believer, although I do not see instructions for that in Scripture.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 14:1-19 speaks in detail about speaking in tongues. When someone speaks in tongues, he said, they are speaking to God. If a listener cannot understand what is said, it doesn't benefit them. In fact, it seems as if the tongue-speaker is a barbarian because their words are unintelligible. If you want a manifestation of the Spirit, he said, ask for prophecy, rather than tongues, because it can benefit the entire body of believers. If you choose to speak in tongues with others present, you need to be able to interpret what is said for the benefit of those who hear. (or an interpreter needs to be present). 

With all that said, the question remains. Does speaking in tongues still exist? Yes. I think it does, although, like many other things, not everything presented as speaking in tongues really is. There is a temptation to "fake it" but "fake" tongues is not from God. 

Several years ago, I attended a Bible study with a group of ladies from various churches in town. One day, we were praying for one of the ladies, who was seated in a chair in front of the group. A second lady stood up, rested her hand gently on the first lady's shoulder, and began to pray in tongues. It was beautiful, and sounded to me like Hebrew. (I was familiar with spoken Hebrew so that is not as unusual as it sounds). The surprising thing is not that it sounded like Hebrew, but that I could hear it in English in my head. The depth of praise to God was breathtaking and I wanted to repeat it aloud. It was such a new experience for me that I did not. (Interpretation of tongues is not my gift, however.)  

Speaking in tongues is a genuine manifestation of the Spirit. It is a kind of prayer that is Spirit-driven and is understandable by God Himself. There are people who have been given the manifestation of interpreting the tongues spoken. Tongues should not be used in a church service unless there is an interpreter present. It is one of the more dramatic manifestations of the Spirit, but it is not the most desirable manifestation. 

All manifestations of the Spirit are to bring honor and praise to our Heavenly Father. Tongues, as well as all the other manifestations, can (and does) bring beautiful praise and honor to our Father. There is a role for tongues, but our desire should be to make our communications so clear that the truth of our Lord is understandable to all around us. 

however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. (1 Corinthians 14:19 NASB)

As we consider this manifestation of the Spirit, let us pray that all our communications would point to our Lord, and that every word we speak would be so clear that all who hear are drawn to Christ by the clarity of our message.

Teach us to pray, part 62: Faith

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:7- 9 NASB 

For the last few days, we have been studying the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the believer. As I've written, I've fretted that the information might not be something that we could use in our daily lives. This morning, I've seen it a little differently. When I understand the manifestations of the Spirit in the body of Christ, I can better understand the body of Christ and the ways that we serve each other. That understanding can also help me understand where I can best serve. 

For example, if the Spirit manifests (or works) in me with the word of wisdom, I will most effectively serve the body of Christ by living my faith in practical ways that others can see, as well as by teaching the truth of Scripture in simple language that all can understand using practical applications that all can follow. When (if) serving with the word of wisdom is what I will do best, I will be most content serving in that way, and most effective, no matter what my other abilities include. Understanding the way in which God intended me to serve for the common good, then, is important for the body of Christ but also for my own contentment in service.

Over the next few days, we should all be able to recognize our area of service. If the current area doesn't fit, it probably fits someone we know and can help us to encourage each other to greater service in our area of equipping.

With that said, let's look at another manifestation of the Spirit of God, faith. The word translated as faith is pistis, and is a word we've studied before. The woman with the issue of blood was healed because of her pistis, her faith, and the woman with the alabaster vial was saved because of her pistis, her faith. (You may want to read both of those posts, and you can follow the links to open in a new window.)

This pistis, or faith, is a rock-solid certainty that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and the One through whom we receive salvation in the Kingdom of God. The one with this kind of faith lives their life on the understanding that "God said it, and that settles it." It is an unwavering conviction that God is not only able to do what He says He can do, but also willing to do what He says He can do. 

The one with faith can look at a situation, no matter how grim, consider ways in which God could work in mighty and miraculous ways, then pray with the boldness to ask for those miraculous ways and the faith to expect God to move. This kind of faith is given "for the common good", and the one with this faith will lead the body of Christ in greater leaps of faith. 

If the Spirit works through me by the gift of faith, when someone asks for "a little prayer", my response is likely to be, "Why ask for something little, when we can pray a big prayer?" When serving with the gift of faith, I will always expect a mighty move of God, always see the possibility of His miraculous intervention, and pray with the omnipotence of God in mind. This pistis is the kind of faith we all should have, in which we grasp, at least in part, that there is nothing our God cannot do, no power greater than He. At the same time, this faith understands that, despite that omnipotence, our God is still intimately involved in the details of our lives.

Some will be equipped to serve with exceptional faith, but all of us must follow with that same kind of pistis faith, knowing with certainty that our hope is in Christ alone, and that He makes all the difference.

Teach us to pray, part 59: Manifestations of the Spirit

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:7-12 NASB)

We are continuing our study of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was clear that the Holy Spirit would be given to us in response to our desire (our asking) for it. We saw yesterday that Jesus did not leave us as orphans, but sent the Spirit to be with us, to comfort us and teach us. If you missed that post, you can read it here. Today we are looking at the manifestations of the Spirit.

Before we go any further, there are a few things we need to understand. 
1) Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit and He expected that we would embrace Him.
2) The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple of Christ is not optional. If the Holy Spirit is not at work in ours lives, we need to ask our Lord why not, and do it with haste.
3) We serve a God of order and not confusion. Manifestations of the Spirit are not intended to create havoc, but they are not meant to be avoided, either.

With that in mind, let's look at this very exciting bit of truth.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Paul made it clear at beginning of this section that the manifestation of the Spirit is given "to each one". If I am a disciple of Christ (and I am), God has given me a manifestation of the Spirit. If you are a disciple of Christ, God has given you a manifestation of the Spirit. We would do well to carefully consider the list above (more coming on the manifestations) and ask the Lord what He has given us. This becomes important because the manifestations (or gifts) are not given to us to hoard but to use.

These manifestations are also not given for entertainment or to make us proud of what we can do. These manifestations of the Spirit are for one reason: the common good. Taken together, the body of Christ has every gift needed to be the kind of vibrant, world-changing body our Lord intended. Does every church have people in the church with every one of these gifts? Yes. I believe they do. Certainly the body of Christ at large has every one of these manifestations.

There are those who believe that these manifestations were given only to "get the church started". If we have a God who ran out of power in the first century, we have a poor God, indeed. The good news is that we DO NOT have an out-of-power God. Almighty God continues to be omnipotent. He has quite enough power to continue giving manifestations of the Spirit today, and He is doing just that.

Let's look at a list of those manifestations of the Spirit (ways the Spirit is at work through us). They are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues. 

As disciples, the Spirit of our Omnipotent God is manifested in you and me. No one is left out. No one has missed the opportunity for the Spirit to work through us. For today, let's consider prayerfully in which of those ways the Spirit is manifested in us. Are we allowing the Spirit free reign in us? Are we allowing Him to use us for the common good of the body of Christ? If not, why not?

Teach us to pray, part 57: The Spirit of God

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:13 NASB)

In this verse, the giving of the Holy Spirit by our heavenly Father is presented as a greater kind of gifting than the good gifts a father might give to a child and implies that, if we ask for the Holy Spirit, God will grant it. "How much more" indicates that the gift of the Spirit will be given in abundance, and that the Spirit is something for which we should ask.

If we are to ask for more of the Spirit, what is it, exactly, for which we are asking? Matthew 28:19 tells us that the Holy Spirit is the third part of the Triune Godhead. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

The words translated as "The Holy Spirit" are hagios pneuma. Hagios is a word used to indicate something or someone as "most holy". Pneuma can mean "breath" or "wind" and is used as both to describe the Spirit of God. In this instance, it is used to indicate the Spirit of God, as close as our breath, infusing our life. Just as the body does not give life to the spirit but the spirit gives life to the body, even so the Spirit of God infuses us as believers with the divine life of Christ that comes to those who trust in Him.

Martin Luther described our human spirit as the "highest and noblest part" of us, "the house where Faith and God's word are at home", the part of us that allows us to "lay hold of incomprehensible, invisible, eternal things." The Holy Spirit, then, is the Spirit of God, dwelling in us in such a way that it produces spiritual attributes and gifts in us. Thayer's translation describes the Spirit of God as "august, full of majesty, adorable, utterly opposed to all impurity." 

When the Spirit dwells in us, as it must if we belong to Christ, He brings an opposition to all impurity. Our tendency toward impurity, toward the sin and darkness of this world, cannot peacefully coexist with the Spirit of God. If we are to be filled with the Spirit of God, if we are to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit, we must relinquish the ways and desires of the world. We, too, must oppose the impurity that marked our lives before Christ.

To understand this gift of the Spirit, to enjoy the Spirit, we must begin by looking at ourselves. Our lives before Christ were full of darkness and sin, but the blood of Christ cleansed us from all unrighteousness. Without the work of the Spirit in our lives, convicting us of sin and leading us toward the righteousness that only God can give, we would quickly return to the sin that so easily besets us. 

As we begin to study the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the instruction of Christ to pray for the Spirit, we must consider whether or not we are allowing the Spirit of God access to our lives. Is the Spirit directing us or not? Are we continuing to embrace the same sin that has caused so much sorrow and destruction in our lives or are we allowing the Spirit to convict and cleanse us of that sin? If we are to have the gifts of the Spirit, we must first have the cleansing of the Spirit.

Tomorrow, we will look at this gift in more detail, but for today, let us allow the Spirit to shine the Light of God in our darkness, relinquish that darkness and sin, and once again experience the cleansing grace that only Christ can give.

The recognition, part 22: the Cloud of God

And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!" (Luke 9:33-35 NASB)

Peter awakened to find Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. His first words were an offer to build tabernacles for all three. It wasn't a well thought out plan, it was simply the first thing out of his mouth, a spontaneous offer of service.

Suddenly, a very surprising thing happened. A cloud began to form and overshadow them. The word used here is the same term to describe the cloud that led the children of Israel by day and rested over them. Thayer's describes this as a "shining cloud, surrounding and enveloping them with brightness". Exodus 13 tells us that the Lord went before them in the pillar of cloud, and He was in this cloud, as well, surrounding Jesus, the disciples, and the heavenly visitors. Imagine this, if you can. The cloud of the presence of God gradually overshadowed them and surrounded them on all sides with incredible heavenly brightness and the presence of God. 

Selah. 

Pause and consider. 

Surrounded by the presence of God. How amazing would that be? What is even more amazing is that we can be not just surrounded by the Spirit of God, but filled with His Spirit. Jesus promised that, when He left, His Spirit would remain as our Comforter to lead us in the way in which we should go, helping us to have fruitful lives filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We do not experience God's presence in a single once-in-a-lifetime cloud on a mountain. We can experience His presence through His Spirit on a daily, continuous basis, if we will. 

Oh, dear ones, reach out to our Lord, who longs to fill us with His Presence and lead us with His Spirit. Our lives can carry  the presence of God as we go, infusing our world with the light of God, if we will allow it. 

There's a prayer that captures the essence of this infilling. "Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love." Indeed. Come and fill us. Give us passion to change the world with God's love.